On 10 December 2024, the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, released the National Carer Strategy 2024–2034. The strategy delivers a national agenda to support Australia’s unpaid carers.
Carers are an essential and important part of the Australian community – supporting, advocating for and empowering the people they provide care for. In Australia, there are 3 million unpaid carers who provide vital support to family members, friends and loved ones every day.
The strategy outlines a framework to shape how the Australian Government will work with relevant government agencies, carers and the carer support sector to improve awareness of carers, their roles, the impacts of supporting others and availability of carer supports and services.
The strategy highlights priority outcome areas where efforts will be directed to achieve Strategy’s vision. These include:
- recognising and valuing carers’ contributions and expertise
- supporting carers to self-identify early
- improved access for carers to supports, services and programs
- ensuring carers have access to supports that safeguard their psychological, physical and social wellbeing.
The Government consulted widely to develop the strategy, including consultations with unpaid carers, former carers and the wider support sector.
The strategy will be implemented over the next decade, through a series of actions that will improve the lives of carers. Initial actions will support addressing priority areas, and lay the foundations for future work, to deliver the Strategy vision and achieve outcomes for carers. The accompanying action plan will be implemented in the first 3 years.
Find out more
Read the National Carer Strategy 2024–2034.